Slumlord
by howzitthen
Summary: Nick plunges headfirst into a new endeavor, Cece and Schmidt try to move past their failed relationship, Jess enjoys being in love, etc., etc., Kinda playing this one by ear.
1. Chapter 1

**A while back I wrote a story called "Fallout", a little thing about a hiccup in the Nick/Jess relationship. I threw in something about Nick inheriting a very small apartment building from his Dad as a bit of a red herring, but I always thought I might do something with it at some point. We'll see how this goes. So, this isn't exactly where we are in the current season. Schmidt still lives in the loft and Coach hasn't reappeared. The Cece/Schmidt stuff has hit the fan, but the larger issue of their own fallout remains. Going to take a step away from the Nick/Jess drama here… at least for a while. Thank you for giving this one a shot.**

Nick climbed from the passenger seat of Winston's grey SUV and shut the door behind him. He stretched his arms far above his head and grimaced. In a single motion he swung his arms around, pushed up the sleeves of his red flannel, leaned back against the SUV, and folded his arms. As the driver's side door clunked closed behind him, he thought to himself, "Am I really doing this?"

Winston walked around the back of the car and joined Nick. He removed his sunglasses and tucked them into the collar of his grey polo. He leaned against the car beside Nick, staring straight ahead. After a moment, he spoke, echoing Nick's own thoughts.

"So, you're really doing this, huh?"

Nick turned to Winston and gave him a nod. He might not have been able to convince himself that he was doing the right thing, but that didn't mean he couldn't try his best to convince everyone else. Winston accepted his nod and they both turned their attention back to the building that stood in front of them. A crumbling, concrete path traveled from the sidewalk just beyond Winston's curbside Foscapay, through a small but densely overgrown lawn, up to the front stoop of a rather plain, three story brick building. Despite being three stories, the building was not large. The stoop to the right of the building led to a heavy red door set behind a flimsy mesh screen door. The rest of the façade was simple: a small window on the second and third floors directly above the front door and large, but widely segmented bay windows at the center of all three floors.

"So, what do you think?" Nick asked sheepishly.

As Winston surveyed the building, he couldn't help but notice that, as the building got taller, the respective levels fell further and further into dis-repair. While the first story merely looked unimpressive and dingy, the windows of the second story were cracked in some places, and clearly broken in others. The windows of the third story were completely boarded up, and the bricks at that level were commonly broken in the spots where they weren't missing altogether. Winston couldn't help but think to himself that a simple "Nick Fix" wasn't going to get the job done here.

"I think you got your work cut out for you," Winston replied. "But you know if you need us, we got your back. Ain't that right, Schmidt? Schmidt?"

Nick and Winston stepped onto the curb and turned to face the car. Winton stepped toward it and gave a couple knocks to the backseat window.

"You can come out now, Schmidt."

"You've got to be kidding me…" Nick started, rubbing his forehead with the heel of his hand. "Get out here, Schmidt!"

Winston grabbed the door handle and flung the door open, revealing Schmidt, curled in the fetal position in the backseat of the car, his head covered with a red blanket. He slowly lifted his head from the seat and squinted his eyes as he looked out of the car towards his waiting roommates.

"Is it safe?" he asked.

"Schmidt, it's never not been safe," Winston replied, shaking his head.

"So we're good? We're not in Compton anymore?"

"We were never in Compton," Nick said, his anger rising.

"I know what I saw, Nick. And that street sign clearly said Compton."

"That wasn't a street sign, dummy," Winston said, grabbing Schmidt's arm and pulling him from the car.

"I know what I saw!" Schmidt protested, angrily yanking his arm free.

"You saw a billboard, you idiot," Nick said, slamming the car door before Schmidt could try to dive back inside. "A billboard for a city councilwoman. A city councilwoman named Sarah Compton. We're seven minutes from the loft, for crying out loud."

Schmidt furrowed his brow as he thought over the plausibility of Nick's statement. He nervously smoothed out some of the wrinkles of his blue and white checkered button up before looking about his surroundings. His eyes widened as they fixed upon a green sedan parked about 300 feet down the street from where they were standing.

"Compton or not, this place is clearly not safe!" he said, pointing towards the car.

"What are you talking…" Winston started.

"No, just let him get it all out," Nick calmly interrupted.

"Just look at that vehicle! That is clearly the preferred transportation of a hoodlum! What is that, an El Camino?"

"That's a 1996 Buick Regal, Schmidt. It's what I drove in College. It's nicer than the car I drive now," Nick said, as he and Winston turned and started walking towards the apartment. Nick went into his pocket, retrieved a set of keys, and climbed the steps to the red door. He pulled the screen open as Winston joined him, holding the door while Nick looked for the right key.

"Oh…" Schmidt said, realizing that Nick was right. He spun around a few times, again, surveying the neighborhood. His eyes darted between the neighboring lots, some inhabited by buildings not unlike Nick's, and some taken up by small duplexes.

"I'm still not sold, guys. I mean, look at these lawns. What is that? Perennial Rye? Pfft. And you can tell none of these yards have been properly maintained. They clearly have not been watered in ages."

"Why do you know so much about grass, Schmidt?" Winston said.

"Well, that's… that's actually a funny…"

"Don't care," Nick called back as he turned the key and popped the door open. "We're going inside. You can come in or you can stay outside. Your call."

Schmidt frowned as Nick and Winston disappeared into the apartment. He looked around a moment before darting down the narrow pathway, up the stairs, and through the front door.

* * *

The three roommates stood quietly inside the first story living room. The inside of the building was every bit as charming as the outside. The only furnishings in the room were a cheap card table flanked by two dusty folding chairs, and an old ceiling fan that was missing two blades and the light bulb cover.

"You just… kind of have to use your imagination," Nick said.

"Who do you think I am, J.K. Rowling?" Schmidt cracked, earning a slap to the shoulder from Winston.

"I'm serious," Nick said, pacing around the room. "I mean, it's not huge, but it's not tiny. The bay windows are great, just need a little tinkering. And look! Shelving built directly into the walls!"

"Yeah, just appears to be missing a few, you know… shelves," Schmidt quipped again.

"Schmidt, will you…" Winston scolded.

"Look, guys. I know this is going to be a lot of work. Work you guys don't think I have in me. But this time… I think this time is going to be different."

Winston and Schmidt looked at each other and nodded. Winston walked over to the shelving and ran his fingers over the middle shelf and Schmidt walked over to the window and looked out on the street.

"It could be worse," Winston said. "I'm sure some basic cleaning will go a long way towards making it look a bit more… habitable."

"Yeah," Schmidt said, turning to face Nick. "This looks bad, but we haven't even started working yet."

"We?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, we," Schmidt said, stepping towards Nick with a smile. "Like Winston said… we got your back."

Nick and Schmidt high fived and brought each other in for a bro-hug. Winston awkwardly tried to join in at the last second, but the moment had passed. Nick and Schmidt had broken apart, leaving Winston to awkwardly run his hands over his hair and act like nothing strange had happened. Nick and Schmidt looked at him questioningly.

"So," Winston spit out. "What is this? Two bed, two bath?"

"Each unit is two bed, one and a half bath," Nick said.

"Well, how about a tour?" Schmidt asked.

"Now we're talking," Nick said, clapping his hands. "Come, let's start in the kitchen."

Nick led them through a slightly arched doorway into the adjacent kitchen. The room was generous with a rather large window that allowed for quite a bit of natural light. There was a dual sink, a four burner electric stove, and an old but seemingly functional Frigidaire off in the corner.

"This actually isn't half bad," Winston remarked. "Good space, the appliances look… decent."

"Yeah, and you guys haven't seen the best part yet," Nick said, gesturing towards a small door towards the back of the room. "Check out the huge pantry!"

Nick flung the door open and smiled widely at his roommates. He noted with concern the confused looks on both of their faces as their eyes seemed to settle on the floor of the pantry. Schmidt looked particularly confused, but Winston's face slowly spread into a big smile. Before Nick could turn to see what they were looking at, Winston spoke.

"Heh-heh. Looks like you've got some squatters, Nick."

Nick stepped back from the door and joined Schmidt and Winston in the middle of the kitchen. Alarm took hold of him as his brain slowly connected the dots of what his eyes were seeing. Schmidt was seemingly on the same page as he and Nick both started to slowly back away from the pantry. Winston, however, showed no such alarm. He instead crouched down to get a closer look, ignoring Nick and Schmidt grabbing at his shoulders.

"Aw, hey little kitties," he said, smiling. "How'd you guys get in here? Is this your home? Better hope the big bag landlord doesn't raise the rent." Winston finally stood and turned to speak to Nick and Schmidt. "Cute little guys, aren't they? So many of them. I wonder… guys?"

Nick and Schmidt were nearly out of the kitchen by the time Winston's eyes caught up with them. They looked on in horror as further confusion spread across Winston's face.

"Guys, what the…"

"Those aren't kitties, Winston," Nick whispered, still backing away from the pantry.

"What are you talking about?"

"Look at their tails, dummy," Schmidt said.

Winston turned back towards the pantry and shrugged. One of the 'kitties' sprung from the pantry and skittered off toward the far corner of the kitchen, away from the roommates. Another followed shortly after, then another. As Winston watched them quickly and awkwardly file out of the pantry, he finally noticed what Nick and Schmidt had noticed much earlier: the white stripe that ran down the back of each of the 'kitties'. Winston's eyes doubled in size as he realized the situation he found himself in. He turned back to Nick and Schmidt to find that they had made it nearly halfway through the living room, nearing the front door. As the skittering of the claws on the floor behind him crescendoed, Winston finally lost his cool.

"Skunks!" he yelled, launching himself full speed towards the front door.

* * *

Cece lay on Jess' bed, a fashion magazine spread out over the brightly colored comforter. She flipped the magazine closed and glanced at her watch impatiently. She sat up, swung her jean clad legs over the side of the bed, and adjusted her silver top, annoyed.

"Come on, Jess. If we're going to do this, we'd better do this before I change my mind."

"Just a sec!" Jess' voice called from inside her closet. "Just… want… to…. There!"

Jess stepped out from behind the sliding brown door and spread her arms wide. She was wearing a pair of white washed, oversized overalls over a blue t-shirt, her hair tied into a simple pony tail, her bangs parting slightly at the middle of her forehead.

"So? What do you think?" she asked excitedly.

"Jess, they're overalls. Just like the last pair, and the pair before. They're all just… overalls. But while we're on the subject, why do you have so many overalls?"

"What, these were all the rage in sixth grade."

"That doesn't really answer my question."

"Besides, there's going to be lots of cleaning, and moving, and lifting over at Nick's building. I want to have room for my goods," she said, looking down as she gave her shoulders a little shimmy.

"Can't argue with that logic," Cece said rolling her eyes.

Jess frowned, shuffled over to the bed, and plopped down beside her friend.

"You sure you're up for this? We can do it another time if you want."

"I dunno," Cece replied. "It's been four months, Jess. I think I need to just… let it go."

"You don't need to rush anything, Cece. I mean, this is a big deal."

"I know. I just… he's your roommate, he's a part of your life."

"He is."

"And I can't expect you to just walk away from him."

"You can't."

"So I just need to suck it up, and…"

"But on your own timetable. Look, I can't just completely turn my back Schmidt. Trust me, I've thought about it. But as mad as I am at him, I just… can't."

"And I'm not asking you to."

"I know. And I'm not asking you to do anything you're not ready to."

Cece gave Jess a quiet nod and a forced smile. She wiped the corner of her eye with the back of her hand and stood up.

"Besides," Cece said. "Now that you and his best friend are so disgustingly in love with each other, I can't expect you to hold a grudge."

"Cece."

"Oh come on, Jess. I know you aren't tired of hearing that said out loud, yet."

"No…" Jess said, failing to stifle the smile in her eyes. "I guess not."

"So… how is all of that going?"

"Really great, actually. Like, really great. Better than I ever could have imagined. Better than it's ever gone before. With anyone. Ever."

"I gotta say, Jess," Cece said, smiling wide. "That is music to my ears."

Jess smiled to herself a moment, shoved her hands in her pockets, and stared at her feet. She exhaled, deeply satisfied, before pulling a yellow bandana from her pocket. She raised the bandana to her head and pulled it tight over her head.

"What do you think?" she asked. "Can I pull this off?"

"Nope. Not at all. Not even a little."

**I guess this is kind of an odd place to stop. But, in theory, we are just getting started here. Hope you enjoyed it at least a little bit. Thank you for taking the time.**


	2. Chapter 2

"I appreciate your honesty," Jess replied flatly.

She shrugged, pulled the bandana from her head, and flung it past Cece in the direction of her closet. She stood from the bed and took a few steps towards the closet to see what else she had to keep her hair out of her face. She was interrupted by the sound of the door shutting outside, followed by the indistinguishable conversation between Nick and Schmidt. Cece's eyes went wide as she heard Schmidt's voice and Jess, noting her reaction, slipped nimbly past her and silently shut the door to her room. She pressed her back against the door and looked questioningly at Cece, trying to read her face. Cece turned, walked to the bed and sat down, facing Jess.

"Thank you," she said after taking a deep breath.

"Yeah, looks like you needed a sec. I don't know what they're doing back so soon," Jess said.

She walked over to her end table, picked up her bunny-eared iPhone, and started thumbing through it. Sure enough, she had missed a text from Nick

"Looks like something is wrong with the apartment," Jess said, a look of concern spreading across her face.

"Oh no, what's wrong?"

"Can't really say. Nick texted me, but it doesn't make much sense."

"What'd he say?"

"He just texted: 'Headed home, had a setback with the place'. Then he sent an emoticon of what looks like an anime skunk holding out a bouquet of flowers. Any thoughts?"

"Nick uses emoticons?"

"Yeah. Pretty much always. He loves them. Can't get enough of them," Jess replied without an ounce of sarcasm.

"That's… surprising."

"I guess. Hey Cece, do you mind if I run out there and see what's up? If you're not ready to see Schmidt, you can just hide out in here. I won't be long."

"No, of course. Go see what's going on. I'll… I'll just hang back for a bit."

Jess smiled her appreciation and headed towards the door.

"I'll be right back," she whispered.

Jess turned, cracked the door, and peeked into the hall. She opened the door just wide enough for her to squeeze her narrow frame through and slipped out of the room before closing the door behind her. Cece took a deep breath and stood up. She walked over to Jess' vanity and looked herself in the eye.

"This is so stupid," she mumbled.

* * *

Jess turned out of her room to find her roommates still standing and talking by the front door.

"I don't know guys," Nick said. "I still think there has to be a cheaper way."

"Nick, this is not something you want to cheap out on," Winston said, lifting his right arm. "Trust me, I know. I've tangled with one of nature's wild beasts before and come out on the losing end."

"Wild beast?" Jess asked as she joined them by the door.

Nick turned to her and smiled. Jess noticed his posture instantly relaxed the moment she made her presence known. She felt herself blush as he walked towards her. He pulled her into him with one arm and leaned forward to accept her quick kiss.

"Oh, I'm glad to see you."

"What wild beast?"

"Nick has to evict his first tenants," Schmidt said with a smile.

"What?" Jess started.

"The skunks? I texted you," Nick said, looking down at Jess.

"Oh… I see," Jess said, nodding her understanding. "That's what your text meant."

"What… what else could it mean?" Nick asked, puzzled.

"Not important," Jess said. "So, tell me about the skunks?"

"Well, they scratched up some of the walls pretty good, and you don't want to know about their potty situation."

"No I do not."

"Well, first we gotta pay someone to come out and safely remove them. Then the big thing is, we gotta find out how they got in in the first place," Nick said rubbing his face. "There's probably hole somewhere needs patching, which could be expensive. All kinds of good stuff."

"It's okay," Jess said, reaching up to his shoulder to give it a quick massage. She could still feel the some of the tension she thought had left him earlier. "You'll figure this out. We'll figure this out."

"I dunno, Jess," Nick said. "Maybe I'm in over my head. Maybe I'm…"

"Hey, don't talk like that yet," Jess scolded.

"Yeah man, we don't even know what we're looking at yet," Winston chimed in.

"Let's just get a hold of animal control, clear out Pepe and the gang, and see… where… we…" Schmidt tailed off.

While he was talking, Cece had slipped out of Jess' room and joined the gang in the hallway. She nervously nodded at Nick and Winston before turning her eyes on Schmidt. She stopped next to Jess, put her hands in her pockets, and waited.

"Cece…" Schmidt said after a moment.

He took a step towards her, but his left hand instinctively shot out from his side and found the handle to the front door. He was out of the loft in seconds, leaving the door wide open. Winston and Schmidt grimaced and looked down. Jess closed her eyes tight before turning toward Cece with an apologetic look on her face.

"Cece, I…"

"Well, this is kind of like déjà vu," Cece said with a sad smile on her face.

"He's an idiot," Nick offered.

"It's okay," Cece said, nodding. "I know. So… anyway. Nick, I hear you got some varmints crashing your pad?"

"Yeah," Nick said, looking to Jess for a sign of how to proceed. "Family of skunks kind of moved into the first floor pantry. Gotta figure out how to…"

"I actually know a guy," Cece interrupted, reaching into her pocket for her phone.

"Oh?" Jess asked.

"Yeah, you meet all kinds in my line of work. He's not entirely above board, but I'm told he gets results and offers a fair rate. Completely under the table, of course."

Cece thumbed through her phone for a moment before lifting her head and looking at the roommates.

"I always gets such sketchy service in here," she said. "I think it's all the brick. I'm going to step out and give him a call, see if I can get a quote. I'll get back to you."

"Well, that'd be great," Nick mumbled, concern in his eyes.

Cece gave Jess a pat on the arm before moving towards the open door.

"I'll give you a buzz with the details," she said looking at Nick. She walked towards the door, grabbed the handle, and closed it behind her.

"Well, that was awkward as always," Winston said, moving towards his room. Before he disappeared through his door, he turned back to Nick and Jess. "You two better be planning on making this whole….'you' thing… work. I don't have the stamina for another one of… them."

Nick and Jess watched Winston close the door before turning to face each other. The each smiled awkwardly and chuckled.

"Well, you hear the man," Nick said.

"Yeah. Rules is rules," Jess said. She reached up and fixed the collar on Nick's flannel, allowing her hands to linger on his chest a little longer than necessary. "So, want to tell me your thoughts on the place?"

* * *

Cece struggled as she pushed open the slightly rusty grey door before stepping out into the bright LA sun. She hadn't been up on the roof in ages, and she wasn't even 100% sure Schmidt was up there. She held the door open until she spotted him straight in front of her. He was sitting on a wooden bench, his back turned to the cityscape behind him. He saw her and stood up, fidgeting as she approached.

"At ease," Cece said.

"Cece, I…"

"Let's sit. We need to talk."

Schmidt and Cece sat down on the bench, leaving as much space between them as they could manage. They sat in silence for a few moments, not looking at each other.

"I miss this place," Cece said, looking around. "The roof, the loft… my friends. I miss being able to hang out here. To be at ease."

"Cece, I'm so..."

"Sorry? Yeah, you said that, Schmidt."

Schmidt looked down and fumbled with his fingers. He raised his head to say something, but stopped himself. After another moment, he turned his body slightly towards Cece and finally looked at her.

"I am sorry, Cece. I never meant… any of this. I never wanted any of it."

"Really, Schmidt?" Cece spat out, turning her wide, angry eyes on him. "Because it seems to me you wanted all of it. Every little bit of it. As much of it as you could possibly get."

"Cece, it wasn't like that," Schmidt said. "I… I don't know if I can explain…"

"Try."

"I never meant to hurt you, Cece. I never meant to hurt any…"

"Try harder."

Schmidt looked away and swallowed hard. He blinked away the tears that were forming at the edges of his eyes. He wasn't sure if he should say anymore. If there was anything he could say to make things even a little bit better. But she was giving him an opening. An opening he might never get again.

"I was in love with both of you Cece. I couldn't lose you, I couldn't lose Elizabeth. I just… I didn't know what to do."

"So you thought, what, exactly? You would just keep us both? That we'd never find out?"

"No, I… I don't know what I thought. I just… I loved you both and I didn't want anyone to get hurt…"

"Job well done, there."

"Cece, what can I do? What can I say here?"

Cece stood up and took a step away from Schmidt. She folded her arms and turned back around, staring off at the skyline in the distance.

"You can start my not lying."

"I'm not lying, Cece. I loved you both, I couldn't…"

"I believe that's what you believe, Schmidt. I honestly do. But let me ask you something," Cece said. She looked down at the still seated Schmidt and took a step towards him. "How much?"

"What… what do…?"

"How much did you love me?

Schmidt stared back, speechless.

"How much did you love me… when you were with her? You know, when you were '_with' _her? For that matter, how much did you love her when you were '_with'_ me?"

Schmidt looked pleadingly at Cece but remained silent.

"I know what you thought you were doing, Schmidt. I know you thought you were protecting us. But it's time you stop lying to yourself. Sure, you cared for me. And yeah, you didn't want me to get hurt. But Schmidt, you didn't love me."

"Cece..."

"If you loved me, if you loved Elizabeth… it would've been impossible to be with us both."

Schmidt raised his hand to his face and wiped a tear away with the palm of his hand. He didn't have time to consider what Cece had said before she was talking again.

"But that… that is in the past, Schmidt. '_We'_ are in the past. But," she continued as Schmidt raised his eyes to meet hers. "That doesn't mean we can't… be around each other."

Cece sat down beside Schmidt on the bench and turned her knees to face him. She took a deep breath before continuing.

"Jess is my best friend, and she loves you. I am not about to ask her to turn her back on you. And Nick and Winston, those idiots are… well… I'm not about to walk away from them either. And I… I care about you too, Schmidt. Somehow, despite everything, I… can't picture you not being a part of my life."

Schmidt stirred in his seat a bit as a hopeful expression crossed his face. Sensing his potential misunderstanding, Cece nipped it in the bud.

"You and I are done, Schmidt. As lovers, as mates, as whatever you want to call it, we are done. Forever. Dead. Got it?"

Schmidt nodded slowly as he exhaled.

"But that doesn't mean our friendship, our strictly platonic, hands off friendship has to be dead. Because, like I was saying, I miss this place. I miss being able to drop in on Jess whenever. I miss Nick, I miss Winston. And yeah, I even miss you."

"Cece, I just…"

"Can a girl finish?"

"To be fair, you have kind of been dominating this whole conversa…"

"This isn't a negotiation, Schmidt. This is how it is. We are going to move past all of… that… and we are going to move forward. As friends. And you are going to promise me that we are on the same page. That there is no 'us' anymore, and there will never be an 'us' ever again. Got it?"

Schmidt closed his eyes and pulled head back. He let it fall back, over the back of the bench. A slight breeze blow over his face for a few moments as he considered his options. In the end, it didn't seem he really had any.

"I'll do whatever you want me to, Cece. "

"And you promise to let this rest? No funny business? No ulterior motives?"

Schmidt sat, head back, for a few more moments, saying nothing.

"Please, Schmidt," Cece said. "You owe me this."

Schmidt brought his head forward, turned and looked in Cece's eyes. She wasn't crying, she didn't even look hurt. It was clearly something she'd thought long and hard over, even something she'd possibly rehearsed. She meant everything she was saying.

"Okay," he said, trying to sell it. "If friendship is what you're offering, then friendship I will gladly accept."

Cece offered a humorless smile and extended her hand to shake. Schmidt looked at her hand, and quickly accepted it. A few shakes, and they separated. They each slumped back into the bench, and exhaled. The sat wordlessly for several minutes.

"So," Schmidt finally said. "What should our first act of friendship be?"

"Well," Cece said, straightening up. "I kind of told Nick I'd hook him up an animal control expert of loose morals and low prices."

"Sounds like fun," Schmidt said, forcing a smile. The stood to leave, Schmidt gesturing for Cece to walk before him. As they made their way toward the door, he turned and looked back at the city for a moment, thinking. This was going to be hard. But she was right. He owed her this much.

**Thanks for reading. **


	3. Chapter 3

Jess held a large, blue mug with both hands as she stepped into Nick's room and elbowed the door shut behind her. She frowned as she looked at Nick, sitting on the bed, legs crossed, slumped over his laptop. As she made her way over to the bed, he straightened up and winced. He then rolled his shoulders, which made a cracking sound loud enough to make Jess flinch.

"That doesn't sound real great," she offered.

"It is what it is," Nick said, looking back to the laptop.

Jess shook her head and walked around the bed to where Nick was sitting. She set her mug down on the end table, kicked off her flats, adjusted the straps on her overalls, and sat down on the bed behind Nick. She cracked her own fingers and put her hands on his shoulders, kneading the outermost corners and slowly moving in. Nick shut his eyes and hung his head, the relief immediate and obvious. Jess continued rubbing his neck and shoulders as he intermittently emitted moans of appreciation.

"So… getting anywhere?" Jess risked to ask.

"Nowhere good," Nick replied, not opening his eyes.

"What's up?"

"I don't know. Cece's guy is going to save me some money, but even still… there is just so much that needs to be done."

As he spoke, Jess could feel the tension once again returning to his shoulders. She doubled her efforts and squeezed harder and more deliberately in an attempt to keep the stress at bay.

"Well… what else needs to be done," she asked.

"What doesn't need to be done? New carpets, new paint, new fixtures. I'm not sure what's in skunk pee, but that stuff cannot be healthy to breathe in for any period of time. I have to hire someone to look at the pipes, not to mention the wiring. And that's just what I've thought of over the last hour or so."

Nick reached up to Jess' hand and gave it a squeeze before softly pushing it from his shoulders. He stood up, stepped into a pair of slippers near the foot of the bed, and moved over to his writing table where he had earlier set a half empty Heisler. He raised the warm beer to his mouth and took a slug, making a slightly disgusted face as he swallowed. He shook his head and turned back towards Jess.

"I just don't know, Jess. I think I might be in over my head."

Jess bit her lip and sighed. She still hadn't seen the place, so she didn't really know what kind of work it needed. But from everything she heard, it was going to be a long term process. She reached over, grabbed her mug, and took a quick sip of tea while she tried to think of something supportive but not patronizing to say. She didn't like seeing Nick twisted up like this. He didn't always deal well in times of stress, and he could be easily discouraged.

"Well," she said standing up. "What we need is someone who knows what they're doing. Someone who has done this sort of thing before and can help steer you in the right direction."

"That's good thinking, Jess" he said, turning to put his beer down. "But I can't really think of anyone. Mom and Dad's place was a bit of a fixer upper, but nothing like this. Jamie rents, all my friends rent. My cousin Bobby used to live in one of those big metal storage containers by the docks before he decided to settle down."

"Ew."

"No, listen, he saved a ton of money that way. He lives in a brownstone on Beacon Hill now. And it's paid for."

"Storage container. I'll be sure to tuck that one away."

"How about you, you know anybody?"

"Well, my parents were kind of like yours. Their first house had some issues, but nothing crazy. Now they each live in their little single people over 50 condo communities. All of my friends also rent or own condos," Jess said. She took another sip of her tea as a thought crossed her mind. "Well…"

"Well what?" Nick asked.

"Well, I can think of one person maybe," Jess said, setting her mug down. "But I don't think you're going to like it."

"Jess, I'm open to ideas here. I'm in no position not to be."

"Okay, but I'm warning you, it might mean a few… awkward encounters."

"I'm all ears Jess. Who you got in mind?"

"Okay," Jess said with a sigh. "Well, you know how this place used to be an old warehouse, right?"

"Sure, I guess. I mean I don't dwell on it or anything."

"And it probably took a lot of work to convert that warehouse into all the fully functional, separate residential units they are today."

"We already live here, Jess, you don't need to sell me on the place."

"No, Nick, I'm saying we could talk to the person that made all of that happen."

Nick furrowed his brow and feigned to be deep in thought. He knew Jess was going to tell him who she was talking about anyway, and he was too tired to guide the thought through his aching head. After a moment of faux consideration, he shook his head and shrugged.

"Okay, now, you might not be the biggest fan of his…" Jess cautioned.

"Who are you talking about, Jess?"

"Remy. I'm talking about Remy."

"Are you kidding," Nick said, covering his face with his hands.

"Look, I know he's not your favorite person…"

"He wanted to sleep with you, Jess!"

"Well, to be fair… he wanted to sleep with you, too."

"That doesn't make it better!"

"Okay, fine. But that was years ago. He's never tried again."

"Hasn't he?"

"No."

"Hasn't he?"

Jess closed her eyes for a moment and stomped her foot in mild frustration.

"Okay, maybe once…"

"Maybe once?"

"Or twice…"

"Are you kidding me?"

"But Nick that was a long time ago. And I think Winston was there."

"So much better."

"Look, Nick, the point is… he could help you. Give you advice. He told me his family used to run an old towel factory out of this place, and when it went under, he renovated into these lofts."

Nick inhaled, picked up his near empty beer, and took a swig. He downed the rest of his warm beer before twirling the bottle around in his hand.

"I don't know, Jess. I just don't like that guy."

"Well, that's too bad. Because he likes you. Like, a lot," she said, unable to hush the smile that was in her tone.

"Yeah, well that's part of the problem" Nick said, returning her smile.

Jess stepped over towards Nick and slipped her arms around his waist. She joined her hands behind his back, and looked up at him. She relaxed her face and attempted to make her eyes as wide as she could before she looked up at him.

"It couldn't hurt, Nick" she persuaded. "If he's no help, then so what? Nothing to lose by asking, right?"

Nick sighed, realizing she had a point. He rubbed Jess' shoulders and looked down at her. They stood silently for a moment while, again, he let her believe he was mulling it over. Truth was, she'd already convinced him, and he was just allowing himself a moment to enjoy Jess' brand of manipulation.

"Well, I guess it makes some sense. I'll think about it," Nick said, straightening up.

"Good. I think that's good."

"But first, I need another beer," Nick said, holding up his empty bottle.

"Well, don't let me stop you," Jess said, breaking her embrace.

Nick cupped her elbow as he turned to leave, slowly dragging his hand down the length of her forearm before briefly giving her fingers a squeeze and letting go. He got the door and turned as he opened it.

"Need anything?" he asked.

"All set," Jess replied. She had already sat back down on the bed and picked up her giant blue mug of tea.

"Cool. I'll be back in a sec."

* * *

Nick shuffled down the hall and noticed a slight pinch in his slippers. As he looked down to investigate, he was interrupted by the sound of Winston humming in the kitchen. Curiosity piqued, he instead continued straight to the kitchen, where he found Winston donning an apron and working over a pan on the stove, cookbook in hand.

"What's going on, pal?" Nick said, taking the long way around the island. He reached into the fridge to grab a Heisler.

"Hmm?" Winston grunted, lifting his head from the cookbook.

"Since when do you cook?"

"Oh," Winston said, agitated. "You know… I mean… I cook. Sometimes."

"I can't think of a single time. For a while there, it was you and me, Winston. Microwave buddies. Take out brothers."

"Yeah, well. People change. I saw you try and make breakfast for Jess the other day, right?"

"Yeah but… oh," Nick said, a look of understanding suddenly clicking on his face. "I get it, this is for a lady. Is she here?"

"Well, not…"

"Or is this just a test run. That makes sense. Want to get it perfect for the big night, eh?"

"You see…"

"Listen, if you need me and Jess to clear out some night, just let us know. We'll go catch a movie or something. Let you have the place to yourself," Nick said, walking over to the stove. "So whatcha got cooking?"

"See the thing is…"

Nick looked in the pan, took a step back and gagged. He retreated to the island and set his beer down before letting out a loud coughs.

"What the hell is that, Winston?"

"Chicken hearts and gizzards. Goose livers and other assorted…"

"Why? What woman is going to…"

"It's not for a woman," Winston admitted, embarrassed. "It's… it's for him," he said, gesturing to the dinner table.

Nick lifted his eyes and looked over to see Furguson, nodding off on a large, cushy pillow set upon the table. He was surrounded by a half dozen plastic toys and several different colored strands of Jess' spare yarn.

"You're cooking… for the cat?" Nick asked, slowly turning back to face Winston.

"Yeah, well. Thing is, he wouldn't eat his dry food. Then he wouldn't eat his wet food," Winston said, turning off the stove and setting down the cookbook. He turned back to Nick with a slightly worried look on his face. "I took him to the vet and everything checked out. They just said he's got a finicky palate."

"Your cat has a 'finicky palate'?"

"That's what the doctor said."

"The doctor?"

"Yeah, vets are doctors. Anyway, he said to just find something Furguson is willing to eat, and stick with it."

"So you're cooking… cat food?"

"Well, I've been through at least a dozen different kinds of canned cat food, and no go. And he doesn't like tuna, and he doesn't like pâté. And he wouldn't even sniff the caviar I got him."

"Smart cat."

"So… yeah. That pretty much brings us up to date."

"Got it."

They stood silently for a few moments. Nick took a slug of his beer trying to think of something to say.

"Hey man," Winston finally said. "Mind if I grab one of you beers?"

"Please do," Nick said, a bit relieved.

Winston slipped past Nick and reached into the fridge to grab a beer. He took a few greedy chugs and turned back to Nick.

"So, Jess have any ideas on your little landlordin' situation?"

"Sort of," Nick said. "She's got at idea that might be worth looking into."

"Sounds like Jess. Smart girl. Knew she'd come up with something."

"Yeah… yeah she is," Nick said with a smile. "She's great, but this is just such a big deal. Going to cost a ton of time and money."

"Yeah, I can see that," Winston nodded. "But it might be worth it."

"It might," Nick said, taking another sip of his beer. "Thanks, man. I'm gonna go hang with Jess a bit. I'll let you get back to your… dinner."

"Sure thing. I really think he's going to like this one," Winston said, grinning.

"Yep. Good luck with that," Nick said as he walked back to his room.

* * *

Nick stepped in his room and found Jess right where he left her, sitting Indian style with his laptop on her legs, still clutching her mug.

"Hey," she said. "What took so long?"

"Oh, it's Winston. He's just got a whole… thing… going on in there," he said, walking towards the bed.

"Nick!" Jess suddenly yelped, catching him completely off guard.

"What? What's wrong?"

"Are you wearing my slippers?" Jess said, looking towards his feet.

"Oh, maybe. They did seem a little snug earlier."

"How did you…"

"What? They're the same color as mine? How was I supposed to know?"

"Ew, take them off, Nick! You're stretching them out!"

"Well, to be fair, Jess," Nick started, kicking off the slippers. "I don't think I'm stretching them out all that much."

"Nick," Jess warned.

"I mean, I've always had fairly small feet for a guy. And I love you Jess, but let's face it, your feet are deceptively…"

"You might want to stop right there," Jess said. She set her mug on the end table, slid the computer off her lap, and turned to face Nick, eyes flaring.

Nick took the hint and stopped talking. But he couldn't stop the smile that was spreading over his face. He knelt on the bed and leaned over to kiss her. She turned away at the last moment, and his lips were met with the side of her neck. She squealed as his scruff proved too ticklish, and she was unable to stifle her own laugh as Nick grabbed her and pulled her down on top of him. They laughed for a few moments before settling in, Nick on his back, and Jess in the crook of his arm, facing him.

"So," Jess started. "Winston have any thoughts about Remy?"

"Oh, I'm sure Winston has some thoughts about Remy," Nick replied, absentmindedly stroking her hair as he stared at the ceiling. "But I didn't really talk to him about it."

"Oh?"

"Not in so many words. But he did tell me my girlfriend is one sharp lady, and I should probably take her advice, whatever it may be."

"Winston is a smart man," Jess said, grinning.

"Hey, how's about we don't talk about Winston or Remy anymore tonight. Deal?"

"Deal," Jess laughed as she let herself sink deeper into Nick's side.

**Thanks for braving the tumbleweeds and reading this. Slow week, eh?**


	4. Chapter 4

Nick sent the push broom across the living room floor for the thousandth time before stooping down to inspect his handiwork. He inhaled and blew a burst of air across the floor, happy to see no dirt or dust particles dancing in his field of vision. He stood up, leaned the broom against the wall to the right of the first floor bay window, and wiped his hands off on the back of his jeans. He ran the sleeve of his red flannel across his forehead, wiping the sweat from his brow and pushing the sleeve up his arm. He adjusted his other sleeve, walked over to the green cooler that was sitting in the window, and pulled out a cold Heisler. He twisted off the cap and took a few gulps as Winston entered from the kitchen, carrying a large, grey bucket.

"5th time's the charm," Winston groaned as he crossed the room. He set the bucket by the front door and wiped his hands on his grey t-shirt.

"Thanks again for helping out today, man" Nick said, pulling another beer from the cooler and offering it to Winston. "I'm sure you had better things to do with your Friday afternoon."

"Sadly, that's not really case," Winston replied, accepting the beer. "Looks a lot better in here, too, man. I'd say we're getting somewhere."

"Maybe. And only two more stories to go!" Nick said with mock enthusiasm.

They both exhaled and returned to their beers. After a moment, the sound of heavy footsteps descending the stairway filled the room. Nick and Winston exchanged a knowing look, and Winston reached over to the front door, turned the handle, and cracked it open a few inches.

"Guess it's time to face the music," Nick said, talking another drink of beer.

"Let's just hear what he has to say before assuming the worst," Winston advised.

Nick grabbed yet another beer from the cooler and stepped toward the middle of the room, joined quickly by Winston. They turned, faced the door, and waited as the footsteps finished their descent. The sound of a metal toolbox being set on the floor was followed immediately by the door swinging wide and Remy stepping through, shaking his head.

"That good, huh?" Nick said, stepping forward to offer Remy the beer.

"I've seen worse," Remy grunted, taking the beer from Nick. He used the flap on his blue, denim shirt to open the bottle, then slipped the cap in the pocket of his jeans. He lumbered over to the bay window before turning and taking a seat, facing Winston and Nick.

"Now first thing's first," Remy started. "I've taken a quick read on all the electrical outlets, and they all seem clear. But you are going to have to get an electrician out her to be 100% on that. No telling how long it's been since this place has been all lit up."

Remy took a drink while Nick folded his arms and grimaced. Winston looked at Nick and gave him a shrug.

"Well, that doesn't sound…" Winston started.

"The water seems to be getting to all three floors, too," Remy interrupted. "Looks clean, so probably nothing to worry about there. But…"

"Here we go," Nick said.

"Your water heater looks pretty banged up. If you plan on having hot water run through this place with any consistency, you're going to have to get a new one."

"Fantastic."

"I'd also suggest replacing all the windows, except on the third floor."

"See, Nick," Winston said, slapping him on the shoulder. "Third floor windows don't need replacing. That's good, right?"

"You don't understand," Remy said. "They don't need replacing because there aren't any there to begin with. Nothing to replace."

"Good stuff," Nick said, rubbing his face with his hands.

"The only other major thing is the furnace. It seems to be running okay, but it hasn't been inspected in over a decade. You'll want to get a pro in here soon to check that out."

Nick stopped rubbing his face and looked at Remy in surprise. He wasn't excited about the new water heater, windows, or potentially bum furnace, but he was expecting much, much more.

"Now, I know you fancy yourself a handyman," Remy continued. "I don't think I set foot in your loft for… what? Four years? Not until the little brunette showed up. So you managed to keep things afloat on your own. And in the times I have been up there, I've noticed some of the… uh… 'modifications' you've implemented. Some of that stuff isn't half bad."

Nick raised his eyebrows at Winston and smirked. Winston rolled his eyes.

"Now, that's the kind of thing you might be able to get away with here and there. You can be creative with things like sticky drawers, loose floorboards, or squeaky steps. Minor things. But the electricity, the furnace, the water heater? You don't want to mess around with that stuff on your own. That's big boy stuff."

"I gotta say," Nick said. "I was expecting to get a lot worse news out of you, Remy. This? This doesn't sound all that bad."

"Three unit place, new furnace, new heater, new windows? I'd say you can get all that squared away somewhere in the area of seven to ten grand."

"Well, okay now. You put it like that…," Nick said as his shoulders slumped.

"Thing is, you have options," Remy said, standing. "The most pressing thing is the hot water tank. People might just grab an extra blanket if things get a bit chilly, but you take away their hot showers and they'll be knocking on your door right quick. The furnace might still have some legs, and with summer coming, you might not have to ask a lot out of it to start."

"Okay…"

"Now, the windows are a must. But you've got three units here. Nothing says you need to rent all three of them out on Day 1. You could, say, get the ground floor ready, rent it out, and then work on the other two units while collecting rent for the first."

"That… that actually makes a lot of sense," Nick said.

"Now, the other thing you could do… well… it's a bit more 'sensitive' to some," Remy said, making air quotes with his hands.

"I'm listening."

"Well, you've got a college right down the road, right? Now, all those kids are looking for is a place to sleep and party. And they're all doing it on Mommy and Daddy's dime. You rent out to a couple college kids, and you can skimp out on all the… cosmetics."

"Cosmetics?"

"Yeah. Overhead fan on the fritz? Who cares? Paint peeling off the walls? No matter, they're just going to cover them up with their rock n' roll posters anyway. Instead of replacing the doors on those cabinets, just take them all off. Get my drift?"

Nick nodded his head. "Not really."

"You knock enough off the rent, and you can put minimal upkeep into this place. Collect a semester or two worth of rent checks, and then make your more expensive improvements. You just gotta, you know, be willing to be a, I dunno, slumlord, for lack of a better word."

"Slumlord, eh?" Nick said to himself.

"Of course. There isn't a lot of profit in that," Remy said, setting his beer down in the bay window. "In the long run you'll want to do things right. But it's not a bad way to get yourself a little seed money. Get yourself started."

"I could be a slumlord," Nick said, smiling.

"Nick, you would make the best slumlord," Winston said encouragingly.

"Yeah. Yeah, I can totally see it. But listen, let's not use that word around Jess. I just don't think she'd be on board with that terminology."

"Jess, huh?" Remy said with a smirk. "Any chance she'll be… joining us this evening?"

"No," Nick nearly shouted. "Um, no. She's staying late tonight. Helping with the school play or something."

"Ooh, what's the play?" Winston asked excitedly.

"I don't remember, Winston," Nick said harshly, turning and glaring at Winston.

"Ah, that's too bad," Remy said. "I always… enjoy… seeing Jess."

"Yeah, I got that," Nick muttered under his breath.

"A real shame…" Remy said, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. "Well, I'm going to run downstairs and grab the rest of my tools. Then I'll get out of your hair."

"Sounds good," Nick said.

Remy moved past Nick and Winston before disappearing into the kitchen. After a moment they heard the back door slam as they heard his footsteps heading down to the basement. Winston put his hands on his hips and looked at Nick accusingly.

"What was with the tone, young man?"

"Sorry, Winston," Nick said crossing the room. "There is no play. I just didn't want Remy to think Jess was going to be showing up. Don't really want a repeat of last time."

The front screen door clanged shut, interrupting the pair. As they turned to the noise, they were met with Schmidt entering the room. Nick rolled his eyes and felt his blood pressure rising at the sight of his roommate.

"Are you kidding me?" Nick asked angrily.

"What?" Schmidt asked, shrugging.

Schmidt was dressed in a pair of off the rack khakis, topped with a battered blue sweatshirt. But what got Nick's temperature rising was his accessories. He had carefully taped plastic grocery bags over his shoes, and he wore long, rubber, yellow gloves on his hands. His face was mostly covered by a white dust mask and oversized protective goggles, his head covered by a neon green hairnet.

"Was this," Nick said gesturing to Schmidt's getup, "really necessary?"

"Of course it was!" Schmidt said, surprised and offended. "What to do you expect? Last time I was here we were nearly attacked by a pack of rabid skunks."

"We don't know that they were rabid," Nick muttered.

"He's got a point, man," Winston added.

"And they seemed nice, I don't think they were 'attacking' anyone…" Nick finished.

"Hey, I'm here to help," Schmidt said, raising his hands. "I had a long day at work, you want me to go, just say the word."

Nick looked down guiltily and realized he was in the wrong. Sure, Schmidt took it to extremes, but considering what they encountered the last time he was here, her really couldn't have expected any less. And he had come to help.

"I'm sorry, Schmidty," Nick offered. "Thank you for coming, I just… it's been a long day."

"Well," Schmidt said. He folded his arms and nodded, accepting the apology. "By the looks of this place, I might not need all of this… protection." He removed his goggles and dust mask and tossed them on the bay window. "You guys really got a lot done today, huh?"

"We, uh… we did alright" Nick said, smiling at Winston.

"But you might not want to strip down just yet," Winston added. "We got two more stories to go."

As if to punctuate his remark, the back door slammed loudly, announcing Remy's presence. He stomped through the kitchen and entered the living room carrying a flashlight in one hand and a small, red toolbox in the other.

"Well, that's about everything," Remy said, looking at Nick and Winston.

"Hey Remy," Nick said, extending his hand. "Thanks for everything. And please, let me know if there is anything we can do to repay you for the time."

Remy slipped the flashlight under his left armpit and took Nick's hand. He looked hard at Nick, and then glanced over at Winston. A smile spread across his face has he looked back to Nick, and then back to Winston."

"Well, you know. If the two of you aren't busy later…."

"I've taken a woman," Nick blurted out. "I mean, I've a friend lady."

"How's that?"

"Dammit, Miller," Nick said to himself clearing his throat. "I have a girlfriend now, and I don't think she'd much approve."

"I see," Remy said, slowly releasing Nick's hand. "Well, that's too bad. Anyway, don't worry about repaying me. Just… you know… get the rent in on time, try not to burn the place down."

Remy sighed heavily and headed toward the front door. As he passed Schmidt, he gave him a quick nod.

"Ginny."

Schmidt tilted his head, confused, as Remy exited the living room, picked up his toolbox just outside, and slipped through the screen door.

"What was that about?" he asked.

"Remy's just really into threesomes," Nick shrugged.

"Hey, what was with the girlfriend excuse, Nick?" Winston asked, laughing. "Why didn't you just say you aren't into dudes?"

"I dunno, man. You know I'm not good with these things."

"So… Remy wanted a threesome? With you two?" Schmidt asked.

"Kinda seemed that way," Winston said.

"He wanted a threesome… with you two… while I'm standing right here?"

"I don't believe you," Nick said, shaking his head.

"Seriously?" Schmidt continued. "He'd rather get down with you two weeble wobbles? Why? He's got a perfectly good GI Joe right here."

"Well, I can call him back if you like, buddy," Nick said, pulling his cellphone from his pocket.

"What… what are you doing?" Schmidt asked, panicked. "It's not something I'm interested in, Nick. It's just the principle of the matter."

"You don't say," Nick said, pressing the phone to his ear.

"What are you…"

"Hey," Nick said into the phone. "You know what, never mind what I said. Just come on over whenever you're ready. Fantastic! See you in a minute."

Nick pocketed his phone, folded his arms, and looked expectedly at Schmidt.

"Party's on the way, big boy," he said, smiling.

"Well then," Schmidt said, nervously fumbling with the gloves on his hands. "You see, the jokes on you, Nick. I… uh… I've always…"

As Schmidt grew more flustered, he looked up to notice Nick and Winston were trying their best to keep from laughing. He felt a moment of relief that passed quickly from embarrassment, and then on to anger. After Nick and Winston observed the reddening of his face for a few moments longer, they finally broke into laughter.

"And what is so funny, gentlemen?" Schmidt asked as calmly as possible.

"Relax, Schmidt," Nick said. "It was only Jess. Wanted to let her know that Remy was gone and it was safe to come over."

"I… yeah…. I had a feeling…" Schmidt said in an attempt to cover. "Ha-ha, I mean...right? Good one."

"Apparently," Nick laughed.

"So, now that we've all had a good laugh, what's next?" Schmidt said, eager to change the subject.

"Well, things are actually looking pretty good down here," Nick started. "I think we could probably get started on the second unit."

"Sounds like a plan," Winston said. He stepped briefly into the kitchen before reemerging with a dirty mop.

"You guys head on up and I'll wait for Jess," Nick said, leading them towards the front stairs. He almost tripped over the bucket Winston had placed there earlier, opened the door, and gestured for them to go upstairs. "I'll dump this in the street and be up when Jess gets here."

Winston and Schmidt headed up the stairs as Nick stepped out into the early evening air. Before he closed the door behind him, he heard Schmidt come to a happy rationalization.

"You know what? It's probably the gloves, the hairnet, and this horrible sweatshirt. Had he seen me in my normal Friday business-casual, I'm certain Remy would've extended an invitation to me instead of Nick."

* * *

Jess sat in the driver's seat of her car and tapped the screen of her bunny eared iPhone. She smiled and turned to Cece, who was sitting in the passenger seat.

"That was Nick. Remy must've left, he says it's cool to go over now," she said.

"Took long enough," Cece said. "I feel like we've been sitting here for hours."

"It hasn't been that long," Jess frowned. "Has it?"

"What's the deal with Remy again? Why does he weird you out so much?"

"Let's just say he's surprisingly… open minded about… things."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Yes. Yes it is. 100%. Absolutely."

"If you say so," Cece said, pulling the seatbelt across her red blouse and buckling in. "So you know where Nick's new place is, right?"

"Sure do," Jess said, pulling her seatbelt across her overalls. "It's just down the street a…"

She stopped talking and abruptly ducked her head down behind the dashboard of the car. Cece looked on confused as a large, grey van came slowly down the street and passed them. After a moment, Jess lifted her head and looked at Cece, slightly embarrassed.

"Okay there?" Cece asked.

"Yeah. That was Remy. Just… you know."

"Not really."

"Hey, do you think this is atypical behavior for a 32 year old woman? Be honest."

"Yes. Yes of course," Cece said with a smile. "But why would you start acting your age now?"

"See? You get it!" Jess said with a wide smile. She took her iPhone, ears up, moved it up and down and across Cece's field of vision. "Welp. You ready to hop along, little lady?"

"32, huh?" Cece replied. "Never would've guessed it."

**Another odd place to stop, but I actually added the last bit with Jess and Cece because it felt a little odd to have a chapter with no Jess. Thanks for checking it out. I know there's not a whole lot of tension here so far, so I do appreciate those of you that gave it a shot and have stuck with it.**


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